NtvTxn

Believe it or not, removing the drain was nothing. It wasn't even uncomfortable. I was really worried about it, my palms were sweating!!! LOL

Hi Don!! I know exactly where Forney is, y'all have a new Star Bucks we stop at when we're headed to see our dads. One is in Longview the other in Athens! We were living out of state when I had surgery, but I came to Texas because I knew we'd be moving home at some point.....the good thing about all the support groups I've come across is this...EVERYBODY is welcome. You can be pre-op, post-op and you can be using one of their doctors or you can be a patient somewhere else! I found a support group near where we were living and started attending two months before I ever had surgery, just because! I loved going somewhere to meet others who'd had WLS, some were pre-op like I was, but there were folks there at all the different stages, all the way to 5 years out. I've continued to attend monthly meetings. Before we moved back home, I attended one twice a month up there....the day time one was one week and the following week they had an evening meeting. A few of us attended both, but mostly there were differnt people to talk to. To ask questions and pick their brains and listen to THEIR story and what works and doesn't work for them. It's priceless! Now that I am almost three years out, I am the one answering questions. At all the meetings there are only two or maybe three of us that are three or more years out. It's fun to help others that are just starting! I was attending the one where I had surgery, Forest Park on Central Expressway. We were living Irving, right there in Valley Ranch and we just made an evening of it once a month. We bought a house here in NE Plano last Nov and I did a search to see if I could find another meeting and maybe attend two a month. Well there are all sorts of meetings around here! I skipped the one at Forest Park last month because there are three that are all right here near me. One is a Saturday meeting started by a fellow sleever from Forest Park. He wanted to try and get an informal meeting on a Saturday for people who had trouble going during the week. It's actually THIS Saturday at a restaurant here in Plano. If you are interested, let me know and I'll give you the name, address etc. Everybody is welcome. Good luck......and feel free to ask questions....and think about attending, great people. NTV TXN

I have a prescription for Ambien, I take it mostly if my husband is out of town or if we are traveling. My dad told me about Melatonin, it is OTC, 5 mg is what I have but it comes in 3 mg as well - it's great. It does not "knock you out" like a sleeping pill, it just relaxes me, lets me read or whatever and clear my mind of all the clutter!! A time released version just came out recently and I like it as well or better. I did ask my doctor about it and she gave the ok....said we produce it naturally in our bodies and as we get older, we produce less. She said some like it and some, it does nothing for them. Just a suggestion...... Ambien does say in the paperwork that side effects include eating or cooking, driving, sex.....all sorts of things you may not remember doing. Driving would be a BIG deal.

Ok, now I see what you were saying!! About the caloric intake, the first few weeks I was getting on average, about 350 calories, that did increase, but during the entire six months I was in my losing stage, I only got between 550 and 800 calories. I was concerned but the doctor wasn't. My labs at 3 months were great and I was getting all my protein in. I felt good, better than I had in years!!

Ate there yesterday, I had a cup of chicken noodle soup. 80 calories and I could not eat ALL of it. What I hate is they give you that yummy piece of bread. French or Italian......I am at goal and seldom eat bread unless we are eating out. YES, I ate it. It didn't hurt me, I track it all.....but this was hard, I just guessed on the bread when logging. Does anyone know how many calories are in the bread they include with soup?????

I asked about a drain, stitches (staples, ones that disolve, glue) and I asked about the size bougie he would use. I know some people don't think this matters, 'they are all so close in size' - well, it mattered to ME, so I asked!!! He used a 32. I also asked about a catheter. (sp?) This group was very, very prepared and informative during the seminar and we got the nurses CELL phone number, she was 'on call' to answer questions or whatever.....not quite 24 hours a day. 7 AM - 10 PM. I called several times.

Someone asked the doctor's nurse the intimacy question at the seminar.....she was very funny, she said, and I quote "When you will enjoy it as much as HE does" LoL

and when you say 'normal' - it is our NEW normal. What we considered normal prior to surgery was in excess, right??!!!! I look at what I eat now, at almost 3 years out and am always wondering or asking my husband, "is this a lot of food?" Well, the answer is, YES, compared to 33 months ago, but 4 oz of fish....seriously??!!! There was a time when it seems I could eat my weight in fish!!! Ok, that is not quite right, but I could certainly put away 3 or 4 x's what I can eat now. With 4 oz of fish I can eat an eighth of a cup of a veggie and maybe a bite of cottage cheese. With pork, beef or chicken, if I want a little bit of cottage cheese and/or vegetables, 3 oz at the most. I still weigh and measure all of this so I can keep track AND because I know how much I want/need/can eat without feeling icky! My doctor told me, 'never' more than one cup of food. I cannot eat a cup of food now unless I drag a meal out for 45 minutes. If I finish, sit and visit and pick at whatever....and that is not a good habit at all.

God willing, not for a LONG time!!! Make one bite two, that will make it go further....and just savor every bite and KNOW that due to this, you are on your way to a new life and much smaller clothes!!!!

If I can do it, I am certain you can!! Never in my wildest dreams did I think this was possible. Hold on and enjoy, the ride is wild and fun!!

Thank you!

Hey y'all, when I sent you a message on how to RSVP to Kevin, I forgot to add Season 52's address!!! Sorry, it's early!! 7300 Lone Star Dr c100, Plano, TX 75024 If you need anything else, just ask!!!

You can message me your name and if it will just be you or if someone will come with you. I'll need to let Kevin know this evening or tomorrow, I suspect.

I happened to have the info in another email, somebody else wanted to know about the Baylor Plano meetings. Here you go, a copy and paste from their page. Just an FYI - there is a clothes closet that is open from 6 - 6:20'ish, something like that. It is there, you can donate when your clothes get too big and you can take whatever you want as you go down in size. The actual meeting starts at 6:30. Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano 4700 Alliance Blvd. Plano, TX 75093 469.814.2000 Baylor Plano support group: We meet from 6 to 8:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of every month in the conference rooms on the Garden Level of Baylor Plano’s main hospital. Prospective, current and former patients are welcome. Call 469.814.5677 for more information

Hello again!! GREAT, what is your name? I'll RSVP for you, just one or do you have a husband or friend who wants to attend as well? I'm Stacy, I'll be there with my husband, a tall guy. You saw my picture, shorter, spiky blonde hair. LoL Cannot wait to meet you. Have a great week, I'll wait to hear back from you!!!

Oh wow, you are right here! I am in NE Plano, near Allen and Frisco. If you haven't attended a support group, you NEED to come to the next one at Baylor Plano!!! I am attending THREE in this area, but that one is my favorite. Dr. Nick is one of their doctor's I think. If you don't have the information on it, or if you are interested in one of the other, message me. There is an 'informal' support group meeting this Saturday, the 23rd at 12:30. A group of patients in this area (or anyone who wants to come) are meeting for the second time at Season's 52, a restaurant at The Shops At Legacy. It was really nice last time....but we need to RSVP to the guy who started it all. Let me know if you are interested. Congrats on your loss, you're doing GREAT!!

Week 3 I think, maybe two.

LoL - thank you. I've had two cups of coffee, you'd think I'd be more aware of what I'm posting!!! I went back and corrected my mistake!!! Have a great day! BTW - congrats, YOU are doing good! It's fun, isn't it??!! What a wild ride this journey is!

Thank you for the kind words!! I am just under 5'7" and at Dr. Davidson's seminar, my first visit with him, I weighed 228. My highest weight ever, was 232. This morning I weighed 145.5 My surgery date was June 11, 2010, I'm almost three years out. I lost 23 lbs the two months prior to surgery. I reached Dr. D's goal of 150 just under five months, and MY goal of 145 a month later. I've been in maintenence for quite a while now. So, what's your 'story'?

Do you have a date for your surgery? I see you are in a 'Texas' group, so I'm guessing you are a TXN! If you are in the Dallas area, there are sooooo many great support groups. If you haven't found one or two, I can help you, at least here in the NE Dallas (Plano, Allen, Richardson, Frisco) area. Good luck. You'll look back a year after surgery and will not believe how your life has changed!!!

I take four gummys per day. Target brand, I wonder if we can switch to the normal, One A Day or something at three years out - any idea? I guess I should ask.

All y'all are welcome!

Four months at goal - isn't it a wonderful feeling??!!!! Congrats again and again!!!! Thank you for the kind words, I love to share my story with others, I know when I was just starting out or when I'd just reached goal....I loved every word I could find from others further out than I was. It's reassuring to hear that it won't just stop, go away and we wake up one morning with 40 additional pounds, or whatever!!!!! Supporting each other.....it's helpful, NOW I look for people who are four or more years out. It gets harder. Take care and keep in touch!!

Thanks Karen and OakleyGirl!!! It's great to hear from both of you. I hope your weekend has been fantastic!!!

The only stuff you really need is: chap stick a travel pillow or your own pillow to pad your tummy from the seatbelt phone and charger toothbrush and toothpaste clean undies I wore TO the hospital what I planned on wearing home FROM the hospital. Less stuff, just easier. They put you in a hospital gown and before going into surgery they put those little rubber bottomed socks on me. You really need very little. I never put on my gown or slippers. I took make up, just because I wanted to put on make up before I left.